The Cabala
The Cabala (sometimes referred to solely as "Cabala") is a term used by magi and other followers of Divinity to describe and understand the true nature and structure of reality itself. it is used as a framework upon which all true knowledge can be obtained, and the path of life mastered for the betterment of all. All magical workings use the Cabala to render their efforts effective in the world and the worlds beyond the world. Warlocks see the Cabala as something blasphemous that should be discontinued and unravelled once and for all. Sacred magi and warlocks both agree that there are but two valid paths to tread within the Cabala - Sephirah, that which seeks to maintain and improve upon existence, and its necessary opposite of Qlippoth, which seeks to degenerate and ultimately erase existence. What they differ on is which of these two paths should be pursued. The Seven Hermetic Principles Hermeticism is the philosophical system of all sacred magi. Although all magi utilise the seven principles to practise their workings, many independent practitioners do not understand them fully, simply that they work. This fact has led to most of the magical mishaps in history, as failing to adhere to the principles can lead to disaster. The seven Hermetic principles are as follows: # The Universe is a Mental Construct. '''The external universe is simply a mental creation of the All which is Tey'Kor-Akx - all thought of all people combined into a "consensus reality". Thoughts and beliefs shared by the majority define the world's most objective qualities. All people are subject to the rules dictated by the All-Mind. # '''As Above, So Below. As Within, So Without. '''There exist multiple planes beyond mundane knowing, and everyday existence is but a microcosmic version of the knowledge of the All. By understanding the self, understanding of the other is garnered. By understanding the other, understanding of the self is likewise obtained. # '''Nothing Rests; Everything Vibrates. '''Everything from thought to emotion to flesh to stone is simply energy vibrating at different wavelengths, which determine physical properties. # '''All Truths Are But Half-Truths. '''Absolutes and dualities exist only in thought, but the real world consists purely of infinite spectra between those opposites. Good and Evil, for example, are thought constructs, and do not exist. In the real world, everyone fall on an endless continuum between Good and Evil - no one is incorruptible, and no-one is beyond redemption. # '''All Things Rise and Fall. '''Beings constantly and unavoidably move between the two poles of duality on any given issue. A swing to one side is always followed by an equal swing to the other. Depolarisation allows the magus to keep the pendulum's swinging to a minimum - to be polarised is to swing wildly between tyranny and nihilism. # '''Nothing Escapes True Universal Law. '''Everything is subject to the Divine edicts of Tey'Kor-Akx, that which Is. This is the basis of logical thought and all science. To defy the Law is to invite failure. # '''Everything is Both Masculine and Feminine. Everything that is shown on the surface overlays a shadow of its opposite underneath. Gender is in everything and is the vital component of all creation, Divine and otherwise. 'The Path of Sephirah' The Path of Sephirah is best summed up as the following: The ultimate betterment of the self and of all others. As Above, So Below. As Within, So Without. Also known as the Right-Hand Path or the Path of Enlightenment, Sephirah is the Divine ascent aspired to by dedicated followers of the trolls and of Mithras, the Sun. In line with the nature of Tey'Kor-Akx and its Divine Light, its sole goal is the unceasing genesis of new Creation and elevation to higher states of universal consciousness. To maintain a balance within the self and within the external world between Light and Darkness is taught as the true path of the magus, as this allows habitable order to be forged from the shadowy chaos which came before it. Using the Light of known Wisdom to confront the Dark of ones own fears ensures the stability of the Middle Pillar within the Cabala. 'The Path of Qlippoth' The Path of Qlippoth is best summed up as the opposite of the Path of Sephirah: The ultimate destruction of the self and all others. As Above, So Below. As Within, So Without. Also known as the Left-Hand Path or the Path of Dark Reflections, Qlippoth is the Great Descent aspired to by dedicated followers of Oblivion. In line with the nature of the Dark, its sole goal is the eventual unmaking of Creation and its consumption by the black Void. To establish unbalance within the self and within the external world by polarising the Light and the Dark is taught as the true path of the anti-magus, as this allows the tapestry of being itself to be unravelled back into the black chaos that existed prior to creation. The blindness of Light unlimited or the nihilism of pure Darkness are surefire ways to descend into the depths of Uncreation, as they eradicate the Middle pillar within the Cabala. Through tyranny and destruction, the warlocks of Oblivion know they can bring down the Divine and consign it back to the eternal Void, ushering in the fabled Black Dawn.